Blantyre Travel Guide

Named after Dr Livingstone's birthplace in Scotland, Blantyre is
Malawi's commercial centre and capital of the country's Southern
Region, as well as the Blantyre District. Though the city has a
smaller population than Lilongwe, Blantyre is the largest urban
area in Malawi, having expanded to virtually merge with Limbe, its
'sister city'.

Blantyre has a modest but influential expat community; with
residents from the UK, other European countries and South Africa
dominating. The city is also home to the College of Medicine, the
Malawi Polytechnic, the Kamuzu College of Nursing and constituent
colleges of the University of Malawi, making it an academic hub as
well as a commercial centre.

Mount Soche and the Ndirande, Chiradzulu and Michiru mountains
overlook Blantyre, forming the Michiru Mountain Conservation Area,
which makes for a good outdoor playground on the city's doorstep.
Cultural sightseeing options include The National Museum, which is
midway between Blantyre and Limbe and houses a collection of
traditional weapons and artefacts, as well as exhibits relating to
traditional dance, European exploration and slavery.

There are various restaurants and hotels in Blantyre, as well as
pubs and sports bars. The last decade or so has seen much of the
nightlife diffuse from the city centre to the suburbs, making taxis
a necessary part of night-time jaunts in the city. Blantyre is also
home to the Chichiri Mall, which is one of the largest in the
country.

Business travellers in Malawi are most likely to be based in
Blantyre and many tourists also end up in the city at some point,
though it is seldom more than a transfer point or brief stopover on
the way to somewhere else. It's a good place to relax, do a bit of
shopping, enjoy some good local food, and take advantage of banking
facilities before moving to more remote areas of Malawi.

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